DARREN CLARKE and Colin Montgomerie were on the same positive wavelength in Paris yesterday. looking to the future rather than dwelling on the immediate past.
They could almost have been echoing each other's thoughts on events at Congressional as Clarke declared: "I am disappointed I did not do better at the US Open, but I made mistakes and that is part and parcel of that tournament. Every shot has to be struck precisely into the right place, and there is no margin for error."
Montgomerie, second for the third time in a US major, commented: "I came very close again and they say you have to lose a few before you win. But I think I have paid my dues now. I gave everything but I was beaten by a better player on the day. Ernie Els is a deserving champion and he is now World number one after winning again last week."
While Clarke (43rd) had to be content with being the third best British and Irish golfer behind Montgomerie and Lee Westwood (19th) he is convinced he will profit from the experience. "Now that I have secured my Ryder Cup place I am relaxed and can decide where I play to my best ad vantage," he said. "I must go out and try to win, and if I get into contention to make my experience count", he said: With three cop four finishes this year, including joint second place, in the Volvo PGA Championship, Clarke has more than kept his bank manager happy in amassing over £202,000 to take fourth place in the Volvo Ranking, just under £1,000 ahead of Montgomerie. "It is not vital to win again. but I would certainly like to." added the Ulsterman who captured last October's German Masters title in Berlin on the day that Montgomerie clinched a record-equalling fourth successive European number one spot.
This week they are rivals again for a first prize of £100,000 from a prize fund of £600,000 at the National Club where Montgomerie missed the halfway cut last year, and Clarke has not played since 1992. They will both be contenders for the Murphy's Irish Open next week, then the Loch, Lomond International, before joining every other top professional at the British Open championship at Troon.
Montgomerie revealed yesterday that he had a sneak preview of the Ayrshire links last Thursday. "I know the course as well as anyone because I have played the course over 100 times, but I wanted to get the flavour of it again," he said.
Sandy Lyle, who won the 1985 British 9pen and the 1,988 US Masters in such devastating style, is back in Europe for a month, although his, schedule will not include the Irish Open. He is currently languishing in the lower ranks of the US Tour where he has won only 557,090 this year. Almost the only highlight has been to finish runner up after a play off to Ian Woosnam for the Korean Masters in Seoul. "I am being impatient and I have got to work at my game," said the 39-year-old Lyle who is now working on it with Ian Wright, the professional at the West Linton club near his home in the Scottish Borders.
"I have won over 20 tournaments as well as two majors. and a lot of people would love to have my record. I still think I am young enough to win more tournaments.
Paul McGinley, who was beaten in a play-off for the French title by Costantino Rocca in 1993 and was fourth to Robert Allenby last year, is also playing for the first time since the US Open where he failed to make the cut by one shot. Like Clarke he will play four events in a row,, and hope to shrug off American disappointment. "It was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my career but I lost it around the greens," he said. "That was something I had not encountered before, but I was fine from tee to green.
David Higgins is also optimistic. and with good reason. This week he has Julian Phillips from Lancashire, the new caddie of Seve Ballesteros toting his bag. and is sure he can rebound from the poor form which saw him miss the cut in Germany last week.
Philip Walton, Des Smyth, Eamonn Darcy and Ronan Rafferty are also in the line up which also includes Raymond Burns.
. Spain's Antonio Garrido, inspired by his son Ignacio's Volvo German Open win last Sunday, will bid to make it a family double when he tees off in the Manadens Affarer Seniors Open near Stockholm today.
The Garridos would become only the second father and son to achieve Ryder Cup status if Ignacio maintains his form to make the European team to play the United States at Valderrama in September.
Antonio, second in the Ryder Collingtree Seniors last week and third in the European Seniors rankings, is among the favoured starters at the Fagelbro course this week. His chances of a first title in three years are boosted by the absence of Europe's leading senior, Tommy Horton, who is competing for, the US Seniors Open at Olympia Fields, Illinois. Neil Coles, winner at Collingtree, is also missing due to his reluctance to fly.
